Was Rachel always like this?

Reiner leaned back as far away from Rachel as he could.

When his back touched the chair, she simply returned to her own seat and sat up straight.

The food between them remained untouched, slowly growing cold.

‘Then again…I never had enough time to figure out what kind of person she was.’

Over the past two years, the people of Graham Castle had completely changed the way they treated Rachel.

The wary looks they had once given her had been replaced with respect.

When Reiner asked how Rachel had managed in his absence, every one of them gave the same answer.

That she had done so well…

They hardly needed him anymore.

Not a word Vincent had written had been an exaggeration.

Throughout his life, Reiner had borne the responsibility of feeding everyone and keeping the castle running.

That was precisely why he understood better than anyone just how remarkable Rachel’s accomplishments truly were.

Some people believed a castle simply ran itself.

It didn’t.

Someone had to organize everything.

Someone had to settle disputes.

Someone had to comfort countless people every single day.

Only then could a castle truly function.

Suddenly, Reiner asked,

“The man who looks after the stables…”

“Do you mean Gus? What about him?”

Reiner couldn’t help admiring her.

She even remembered the name of the stable keeper—the man many would consider the least important person in the castle.

“Nothing.”

“…?”

“First…I’ve been away from Graham Castle for two years. You were the one who protected this place. So… I intend to follow your lead.”

“No matter what?”

“Whatever it is.”

A faint smile appeared on Rachel’s lips.

Seeing her smile again after so long made Reiner’s throat feel strangely warm.

“But…”

“Hm.”

“Go on.”

“Well……If two people are truly in love…what exactly are they supposed to do?”

Rachel looked at him as though he’d asked a very strange question.

“Wouldn’t they simply do what people in love normally do?”

She couldn’t understand why he suddenly looked so serious.

“Rachel.”

“Yes?”

“I’ve never loved anyone.”

His words made Rachel quietly widen her eyes.

Then she lowered her gaze back to him.

“You’ve never loved a woman?”

“No.”

“Then…”

She had been about to ask if he’d at least loved his family.

Then she remembered the life Reiner had lived.

His parents had died during the plague.

Because of his cursed crimson eyes, he had been driven from his own home and raised by his nursemaid.

Only after hearing that story had Rachel finally understood why a duke—the highest-ranking noble in the Empire—had once been forced to gather mushrooms just to survive.

Later, she had asked her father, Count Flynn, about Reiner.

But he never told her much.

Only afterward did she realize why.

Her father had once been close to the late Duke Graham.

Perhaps he had carried guilt for never being able to save Reiner.

Considering everything Reiner had endured…

Perhaps love had simply been a luxury his life had never allowed.

Rachel straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin.

“Then…I’ll come up with a plan.”

She picked up her knife and fork and cut the steak on her plate.

She sliced it into neat, bite-sized pieces before sliding the entire plate toward Reiner.

When he simply stared at it, Rachel stretched her arm even farther.

“Take it.”

Once Reiner accepted it, she stood up, took the untouched plate in front of him, and set it before herself.

Then she calmly began cutting her own meal.

Reiner sat silently, staring at the plate.

His nursemaid—

Vincent’s late mother—

Had cared deeply for him.

But only after she had taken care of her own son.

Just as Rachel had done moments ago, she would cut Vincent’s food into bite-sized pieces.

Nothing had ever been prepared solely for Reiner.

If Vincent received three pieces…

Reiner received one.

Not that he had ever blamed her.

He had been the cursed child with crimson eyes.

Raising someone like him couldn’t have been easy.

Yet she had never once shown resentment.

Even so…

There had been days when he envied the tenderness with which she cared for Vincent.

The way she always tried to give her son one more bite.

It had felt like something that would never belong to him.

“Go on. Eat before it gets cold.”

Reiner picked up his fork and took a bite.

The gentle sweetness slowly spread across his tongue.

It wasn’t bad.

Only after seeing him begin eating did Rachel finally start on her own meal.

“Hm. I think it would be good if we established a few rules. For example…we could hold hands and take a walk every night before bed.”

Reiner’s fork froze halfway to his mouth.

Rachel, completely oblivious, continued.

“Now that you’ve returned, I think we should attend social gatherings together. That would be the most convincing way to show everyone we’re a real couple.”

She thought for a moment before adding,

“Maybe we should move to the capital for a while. To the villa we stayed in before.”

During Reiner’s absence, the people from Graham Castle stopped by whenever they traveled to the capital to purchase supplies.

They had cleaned and maintained the villa so well that it now truly looked lived in.

“That sounds nice. We could shop together. And have tea together.”

“You want… us to do those things together?”

“Yes.”

While Reiner had been away, Rachel hadn’t been able to leave Graham Castle.

She hadn’t even had the chance to properly visit her family.

But now that he had returned…

If they traveled to the capital together, she could proudly visit her father.

‘And while I’m there…I’ll ask Lucius for a larger supply of medicine.’

She absolutely had to prevent herself from throwing herself at Reiner while he slept because of the imprint.

Noticing that Reiner had stopped eating, Rachel tilted her head.

“Are you too busy with work to make time for things like that?”

Reiner quietly set down his fork and took a sip of wine.

For some reason…

It felt as though the bite of meat he’d just swallowed had become lodged in his throat.

“No. It’s not that.”

Reiner’s answer made Rachel smile.

It suddenly felt as though everything around them had grown a little brighter.

“That’s good, then. I’ll put together a schedule. However…”

Reiner raised a brow and tilted his head slightly.

“Are you really comfortable being seen with me?”

“What do you mean?”

“…I mean, aren’t you embarrassed by my eyes?”

Rachel blinked in surprise.

He had asked her something similar before.

The wound carved deep into his heart would probably take a long time to heal.

“Are you embarrassed by me?”

“What?”

Reiner frowned.

“Of course not.”

“It’s the same for me.”

Rachel resumed eating as though it were the most natural thing in the world.

“…”

She seemed to say something else after that.

But Reiner couldn’t remember a single word.

As he pressed a hand against the tightness in his chest, he turned his gaze toward the window.

For some reason, it felt as though something hot had curled up deep inside his throat.

***

The next day.

The rest of the group returned to the Graham Duchy after their brief leave.

Since they had traveled back by sea instead of horseback, the journey home had taken only a few hours.

That evening.

A welcome banquet was held for everyone.

Reiner ordered the castle gates opened and invited every resident of the territory to attend.

He instructed that food and drink be served to everyone equally, without distinction.

The celebration was lively, filled with endless laughter and cheerful music.

“I’m telling you! Do you know how popular I was in the Basta Empire? If the Duke hadn’t forbidden us from chasing women…”

“If he hadn’t, you’d probably have followed the wrong woman and ended up in prison.”

“You little brat.”

“Hahaha!”

Reiner sat in the lord’s seat.

He normally wasn’t much of a drinker, but tonight the wine tasted unusually sweet, and he found himself emptying glass after glass.

Resting his chin against the back of his hand, he quietly watched Rachel as she mingled among the crowd.

Before he realized it, Vincent had wandered over to his side.

Following Reiner’s gaze, Vincent quickly realized he was watching Rachel.

“I told you, didn’t I? You really didn’t need to come back. I’m not even joking. She’s incredible.”

Vincent was slightly tipsy himself.

“After you left, I avoided the Duchess too. Honestly, she made me uncomfortable. She was an aristocrat, and she didn’t look like she knew how to do anything. When you handed over control of the estate’s finances, do you know how badly I was shaking?”

When Reiner stepped into his study, he had been genuinely astonished.

Every corner of the room bore Rachel’s touch.

It was enough to make him realize just how much care she had poured into managing Graham Castle during his absence.

“But it turned out I didn’t have to worry at all. Not even a little! Seriously! Where on earth did you find someone like her? She’s a blessing. A real blessing.”

When Reiner looked at him, Vincent shamelessly lifted his chin.

“What? I knew from the very beginning the Duchess would do well.”

“Hah.”

Swaying slightly, Vincent wandered back into the crowd.

Just as Reiner raised his glass…

He happened to meet Rachel’s eyes.

Startled for some reason, he instinctively looked away.

But by then…

Rachel was already walking toward him.